Chinese language learning in the twenty-first century: towards a digital ecosystem?

Over the last twenty years, a large number of digital tools to support Chinese language learning have appeared. This transdisciplinary thesis draws on Bourdieu’s field theory, Christensen’s theory of disruptive innovation, and Jenkins’ theory of convergence culture to map this emerging landscape. It proposes an original typology, derived from the morphological analysis of 190 tools, presented against the changing norms and practice of Chinese language learning in the 21st century. It also traces patterns of technological, commercial and social integration among the people designing, using and circulating those tools, indicating the difficult – and as yet uncertain – evolution towards a global ecosystem of digital Chinese language learning.